Flight to Freedom
by Yuuseki no Yume
Summary: He didn't know what he was. Nor did he know who he was. Until that night. An experiment in the Hidden Village of Sound, Naruto escapes and flees, ending up in Konoha, meeting the one and only Uchiha Sasuke, his ticket...to his flight to freedom. SasuNaru
1. Awakening

_**Flight to Freedom**_

**Yuu: Yo! This's my 2****nd**** fanfic, hope u like it!**

**Izu: I'm sure they'll like it, Yuu.**

**Yan: Yea, so dont worry, nya!**

**Yuu: Thx guys. I dont own Naruto!**

_**Prologue**_

It was dark.

It was always dark.

In the darkness sat a boy of about 15 years dressed in rags and a collar with a tag, whisker-like scars on his cheeks, blond hair grimy and red at the tips, reddish-orange, white-tipped fox ears and tail limp, skin tan despite the darkness. An experiment, locked behind bars, in cold darkness, in an unknown building in an unknown place.

The only times he'd ever seen the light was when humans dressed in white came in and dragged him out, placing him on a cold metal bed beneath glaring bright lights. He was always obedient, thoughts and emotions long erased from his mind.

Tonight at midnight, it would finally be the 10th of October, the day of his creation. 16 years of experimentation, 16 years of pain and loneliness.

Suddenly a whisper came out of the dark shadows.

_It hurts._

The boy looked up, dazed, searching for the source of the voice.

_It hurts._

He frowned, even with his excellent night vision, he couldn't find the source.

_It hurts so much._

It wasn't possible. Sounds were supposed have a source.

_Make it stop._

The only thing in this room that could make any sound were the door . . . and himself.

_MAKE IT STOP!!!_

Suddenly, all the thoughts, all the emotions that had been locked away rushed out from behind the door it had been forced behind. His cerulean eyes widened, then slammed shut as he clutched his head, curling into a ball, screaming in pain. After what felt like eternity, it stopped as suddenly as it had started. His eyes gingerly opened, making sure the pain wouldn't come back in a rush. He slowly uncurled himself, confusion, surprise, and joy in his eyes. He remembered.

He remembered everything, his age, birthday, his past, even his name. Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto. That was his name. He shouldn't know that, but yet he did. Even so . . . it didn't sound right and at the same time it did. He needed to know why. He needed to steal his files.

His ears swiveled around, catching the sound of the footsteps of several people coming towards his prison. Someone must have heard his screams and alerted the rest. He grinned, licking his lips as he crouched low in the darkest corner of his cell in anticipation.

It was time.

To flee.

To escape.

To make his flight to freedom.

**TBC**

**Yuu: Man, that was great! I'm glad I finally got that off my chest!**

**Hichi: That's great kid. I'm happy 4 ya.**

**Yuu: (sniff)Onii-chan!(pounces on Hichi)**

**Hichi: Whoa!(falls down w/ Yuu)**

**Aku: Hn, I came out to c wat the racket was about, but I c that it was just Yuu. Now if u dont mind, piss off, I'm going back to sleep.**

**Hehe(blushes embarrassed)Woops. We woke up Aku. Thankfully he wasn't that mad. Well, I'm gonna go eat. Review plz!**


	2. Escape

_**Flight to Freedom**_

**Yuu: Alrighty, Ch. 1's up! Hope ya likey.**

**Torii: WOOHOOHOO! YEA MAN, THIS'S GONNA BE AWSOME!**

**Yuu: WOULD U STUFF IT ALREADY?! GEEZ!**

**Aku n Hichi: SHUT UP N PISS OFF, WE'RE SLEEPIN!!**

**Izu: OOOOOWWW, MY EARS R BLEEDIN!**

**Toya: Calm down all of u, before I ice u.**

**Everyone: . . . O.O**

**Toya: Hn, my imouto doesn't own Naruto.**

_**Ch. 1-Escape**_

They were getting closer, before finally reaching Naruto's cell. The fox narrowed his eyes as he heard the jingling of the keys as his jailer opened his cage, the scientists and guards standing behind him, his muscles tensing as he prepared himself.

Just as the door swung open, he leaped, lunging at the opening. The jailer screamed as he found himself pushed backwards by a tremendous force, causing everyone to fall like dominoes. As everyone lie in a confused heap, Naruto jumped off the pile, making a run for a set of stairs leading to the only exit.

The humans scrambled, frantically chasing the blond fox that had reached the top. But by the time they reached the stairs, he was gone.

**---**

Naruto laughed as he ran on all fours and followed his instincts, trusting that they would take him to the room that held all the records of the lives of the experiments, although he knew he was the only one left alive.

He ran down endless halls, going left, right, then left again, finally reaching a polished mahogany door. He slammed it down, not knowing what door knobs were, and found himself in a rectangular room full of file cabinets, the walls only far apart for two people to fit side-by-side. He ran down the aisle, stopping only when he saw a cabinet with a particular mark carved into it at the end.

He knew this mark, having had always seen it on the door of the experimentation room, a pair of snakes twining around a strange symbol he had never known the meaning of. Opening it, he shuffled through its contents until he reached a folder that had the same markings on his tag. He knew it was his because he had once seen the marks before the collar had been placed on him, although he should have long forgotten. But then again, he had always paid close attention to things during the years he hadn't been lucid.

Suddenly a loud noise penetrated the silence, wailing and shrieking throughout the halls. Seeing that he had no time to dawdle, Naruto grabbed the file and placed it between his teeth, carefully making sure his fangs didn't pierce it as he raced off on all fours once again.

The blond ran and ran before finally feeling a slight breeze. He paused and sniffed the air, then with a sudden burst of speed ran off towards the sweet scent of fresh air. Just as he caught sight of another set of stairs that climbed towards his freedom, a group came through a passage, blocking the exit.

Naruto was shocked. Normally the humans smelled salty and had a smell that stung his nose, but always had the unmistakable scent of humans. But these . . . these smelled wrong. It wasn't unpleasant, and it had a similarity to the normal humans. But it smelled . . . different. It was different, but at the same time, it was familiar.

It smelled like him.

The realization slammed into fox like a sledgehammer. They were _experiments_, just like him.

_This smell . . . They smell like Kanryu . . ._ Naruto flinched at the name of his best friend, a kind smile flashing through his mind. _But that's impossible, all the creations from that project are supposed to have _died_. How can this be? Have they restarted the project after all these years?_

"Number 94739283, you are to return to your cell, either by your own will or by force," the man in front stated emotionlessly. Then a feral grin stretched across his face. "Although it'd be a lot more fun for us if you choose force." Everyone behind him grinned murderously.

_No, no no no no no! _the blond fox shrieked. _They can't exist! I promised . . . I promised Kanryu that I'd make sure no one would go through the same thing he did, that no one would have the addictive power that that mark gave the wielder! These bloodthirsty bastards have got to go!_

With a vicious roar, Naruto threw himself at the group at a blinding speed, tearing them apart in a whirlwind of blond, orange, and flashing claws.

"You weaklings!" the fox screamed. "Bastards such as yourselves who kill for pleasure shouldn't have this power! You'll never inherit Kanryu's strength and talent! I'll make sure of it! NEVER!!!"

Finally calming his rage, he stopped slashing at the bloody corpses. He climbed the stairs and came out the door, up out into the night. The fox stared in awe at the stars, shining comfortingly in the never-ending sky, dancing merrily around the full moon. Never before had he seen something so beautiful.

Sensing various sources of energy coming towards him, he turned tail and ran, across the sand and into the darkness.

**TBC**

**Yuu: Phew, I think that was the longest chapter I wrote yet.**

**Torii: THAT WAS mrphrrmrrimrmrr!**

**Yuu: (whispers harshly)Shut up! Dont u remember Toya's threat? Or do u actually **_**want**_** to get iced?**

**Torii: (eyes wide, shakes head furiously)**

**Yuu: (takes hand off of Torii's mouth)Good, now run along n play w/ Hien.**

**Torii: AALLLRIGHT!!!**

**Toya: (whispers next to Torii's ear from behind menacingly)Toriiii~**

**Torii: KYAAAAA!!!**

**Toya: That's it, I'm **_**so**_** gonna ice u!**

**Sigh, I told him so, but did he listen to me? Noooooo. BTW, Kanryu is mine n mine **_**alone**_**, got it? Sigh, well, anywa****ys, plz review while I go defrost my brother. Ja.**


	3. Meetings

_**Flight to Freedom**_

**Yuu: Y'know, Kan-chan, d'ya think ur gonna like bein' friends w/ Naruto?**

**Kan: Course! We're gonna have so much fun botherin Koryu-niichan.**

**Naru: I agree!**

**Ko: Hey!**

**Yuu: I dont own Naru-chan or anyone else in the story cept the twins, Kan-chan n Ko-chan, n Hakuren, a few of my friends who u'll be seein later on. N in case u didn't notice Kan-chan n Ko-chan r short for Kanryu n Koryu.**

**Kan n Ko: Cya later in the story!**

_**Ch. 2-Meetings**_

Trees, trees as far as the eye could see. After hours of running, the endless sand had given way to green life, and Naruto found himself in a dark forest, dawn only a couple hours away.

"I. Am. So fucking _screwed_," Naruto muttered to himself. "What the hell am I s'posed ta do now? Stupid instincts, they actually got me lost." Still muttering to himself, he started walking where his so-called stupid instincts directed him. Only to get whacked in the head by a branch.

_Ooowwww. Stupid branch. Great, what's next, God coming down to talk to me?_ The blond fox snorted at the ridiculousness, considering the idea of finding a shrink for himself. Just then a light flashed right in front of him.

Yelping in pain, the poor boy clenched his sensitive eyes shut as stars danced in front of the watering orbs. As quick as the light had come, it disappeared. Naruto slowly opened his eyes, blinking away the tears in order to see the blurry figure in front of him.

What he saw hit him hard. Staring in shock, he saw . . . a chibi wolf cub. Not a god, demon, or even a full grown wolf. A chibi wolf cub. That was it. All the theatrics and flashing lights for a foot tall, scrawny black wolf. Which was staring up at him with amused onyx eyes. Wait, it was smirking, he could swear it was.

_Damn it, that rat bastard!_ Naruto thought.

"Y'know, I'm not a rat, I'm a wolf. Get it right, dobe," the cub smirked as it sat down on its haunches. "And I'm not an it, I'm a male. Name's Hakuren, remember it. And close your mouth, cub, it's unsightly."

The fox, realizing that his mouth was hanging open, snapped it shut with an audible click, much to the amusement of the small wolf. Chuckling to himself, Hakuren cocked his head back, smirking up at the blond.

"Don't call me that!" the boy snapped, glaring at the wolf. "And who are you to call me a cub? You're a cub yourself! And how'd you know what I was thinking?!"

"Call you what, dobe?" Hakuren chuckled as Naruto glared even more.

_How amusing_, he thought. _Welp, better get down to business. But first . . ._

"I'm only this size because I'm containing my chakra, don't wanna attract attention now, do we?" the wolf explained coolly.

"Chakra?" Naruto repeated. "What's that?"

"You'll find out later at your destination."

"My destination? Where's that?"

"Well, you see those mountains over there, that huge shadow in the north?" The boy nodded. "There's a powerful village called Konoha, which is full of shinobi, or ninja." He nodded again. He had heard of shinobi having heard bits and pieces of conversation from his human captors.

"There's where you'll find a descendant of mine, your ticket to freedom," the wolf said. "I've got to go now, I don't have time to stay. Call out my name if you need help." Hakuren started glowing slightly, becoming transparent.

"Wait, descendant? Who are you? And you didn't tell me how you knew what I was thinking yet!" Naruto shouted frantically.

"Well, this should answer all of your questions, _and_ blow your mind." The quickly fading wolf smirked. "I am Hakuren, Supreme Ookami Alpha!" he announced before disappearing in a flash.

* * *

(A/N:Woohoo, finally learned how to do the line thingy!N just so ya kno, this is when I was messin round, so the other chappy's hav'nt got em yet.)

Eight hours later found Naruto in front of Konoha's gates. Not wanting to delay himself, he quickly made his way forward.

"Halt!" The blond whirled around, finding two men clad in dark clothes and green vests.

"Who are you? Identify yourself," Izumo stated, staring at the raggedly dressed teen suspiciously. The barefoot boy was blond, hair a slight red at the tips. The rags he was using for a poor excuse of clothes were grimy, as if they had never been washed. They probably hadn't. Blood was smudged across his face and the whisker-like scars adorning it, some of the dried substance in his nails. His cerulean eyes were wide with fear, reddish orange and white-tipped fox ears and tail twitching . . . huh?

Panicking, Naruto ran for it, the surprised guards instantly going after him, but they were too late. The mysterious boy had escaped.

A few minutes later, Naruto stopped running, panting as he bent over, hands on his knees. Looking up, he realized he was in a dark alley, light shining from the end. Finally catching his breath, he walked down the dark path, emerging into the light.

Only to smack right into someone's chest.

**TBC**

**Yuu: Phew, that was tiring.**

**Naru: Y'know that one of these days u'll get in trouble cuz of all these cliffys, right?**

**Yuu: Eh, they'll get over it.**

**Kure: That's what u think.**

**Damn that Hakuren, trying to make me nervous. O, n I'm callin him Kure for short cuz if I call him Haku it would be very confusing, considering there's already a Haku in the manga, even tho he's dead. Poor Haku. Anyway, review plz!**


	4. Collide

_**Flight to Freedom**_

**Yuu: Sorry, guys, but I'm gonna hafta only write on weekends now.**

**Yan: Waaaaaaaaaaat?! Whyyyyyy nya?**

**Yuu: Well, I'm gonna be busy w/ school, wat w/ 2-5 hrs of HW ea. day.**

**Izu: Geh! 2-5 hrs!**

**Yuu: Yup!**

**Yan: Unyaaaaaaaaaahhh! DX**

**Yuu: I dont own Naruto!**

_**Ch. 3-Encounter**_

This is officially one of the worst days of his life. And that was saying a lot, considering how screwed up Uchiha Sasuke's life was. All because his older brother was back.

Years after being framed by Orochimaru for the Uchiha Massacre, he was now officially a spy in the organization known as Akatsuki. Of course, the only people who knew this other than Sasuke and Itachi themselves were the 3rd and 5th Hokage , but considering Sarutobi had been killed by Orochimaru, it was down to Tsunade and the Uchihas.

How'd Sasuke know? Well, he had kinda been stalking his big brother, who was with the 3rd. Of course, Itachi immediately found him out and sent him home. There Sasuke found Orochimaru who had transformed into Itachi, but Sasuke played along. Unfortunately, the snake had marked Sasuke to be his next container with the Curse Mark, which you all know what looks like.

Once Orochimaru had left, the younger Uchiha had immediately notified the elder, who in turn followed his imposter and caught a glimpse of the snake before he disappeared. After the 3rd learned what happened, Sarutobi came up with the spy plan. After all, the Akatsuki were a dangerous bunch.

Then came the whole fiasco where everyone thought Itachi had murdered everyone and Sasuke became all broody, but then all Uchiha males were bound to do that. I mean, can you imagine a happy-go-lucky male Uchiha? Oh yeah, there _is_ Obito, the Uchiha that miraculously came back after being saved by a stranger, who was currently taking care of him while Itachi was away . . .

Now, don't misunderstand, but Sasuke was happy that Itachi had come back for a visit. It was the fact that his brother's return had forced him to go out _shopping_. In full blown view. Which could only lead to one thing.

"Kyaaaaaa! Sasuke-kun!"

Fangirls.

_Crap! This is why I didn't want to come here!_ The poor raven panicked and ran as fast as he could, which was pretty fast since he was a shinobi. Unfortunately, his fangirls were also ninja. Which meant they were not only fast, but they were faster than normal because they were currently "Sasuke-kun" crazed.

Sasuke ran as if the shinigami himself was behind him, heading towards a shortcut to the Uchiha Compound, a dark alleyway. Looking behind him, he saw the horde of screaming girls gaining on him. Instantly, a spurt of fear spurred him on.

Seeing the alley up ahead, he breathed a sigh of relief. Running even faster, just as he was about to turn the corner, a strange feeling fell upon him, making the frantic raven pause.

Rounding the corner into the dark alley, a blond flash was all he got as a warning before he rammed into someone.

**TBC**

**Yuu: Yay, all done!**

**Toya: Yuu, hurry up, we've gotta go!**

**Yuu: O yea, it's New Years'!**

**Kohri: U dumbass, we're gonna be late!**

**Yuu: To wat?**

**Aku: Dinner, now hurry up! The sooner we get there, the sooner I can sleep!**

**Hichi: Zzzzzzz . . .**

**Aw, dammit! Hichi fell asleep! Well, incase you hadn't notice I'm Asian. Plz review while I go drag Hichi to dinner. Ja! Hichi!**


	5. Link

_**Flight to Freedom**_

Alright, alright, srry 4 the delay folks. I was distracted by school for a very long time, I know. Anyways, plz R&R. Enjoy!

**Important****: **Warnings & info about my poll in 2nd half of my profile. Plz read b4 my older siblings get annoyed enuff ta come after ya. I don't wanna hafta get a certain someone ta restrain them.

Disclaimer: How many times do I hafta say this!? I do NOT own Naruto! DX

_**Ch. 4-Link**_

Naruto stumbled backwards, only to feel a cool, firm grip on his forearm. Once he was sure that he had regained his balance, he looked down at the hand that had yet to release him. He noted long, thin fingers that adorned a smooth, pale hand. His eyes slowly started up the arm attached to it, taking in alabaster skin and a dark blue shirt with a high neck before he reached the owner's face.

What he saw tore his breath away.

The fox briefly registered a handsome face and somewhat tousled spiky hair until he was caught in dark, midnight black orbs. A strange sensation engulfed him, as if a void he never knew of in the core of his very being had finally been filled. He felt safe, comfortable. Wanted. And for the first time in his life, he had no worries.

Suddenly, everything he had gone through the past few days caught up with him, waves of lightheadedness and pain crashing into his battered body. He swayed, knees buckling, and he closed his eyes as he waited for impact with concrete. But before he could even collapse, strong arms wound around him, catching him and bringing him up against a lean chest. The boy's hand brushed against the fox's back and ribs, causing him to flinch from pain.

Naruto dimly noted with surprise that one of the experiments had somehow managed to land a hit on him, laying open his flesh. The blond grimaced, irritation flashing through his mind. It was going to take at least two weeks for his wounds to heal, and the boy was not one for patience (A/N: as we all know ^^).

Cringing as waves of fresh pain went through him, Naruto buried his face into the crook of the boy's neck, inhaling his scent instinctively as he sought comfort. His scent was comforting, surprising familiar in two ways. One way was good, the other as well, but also foreboding at the same time. Unfortunately, his mind was too muddled and hazy to think clearly, the darkness dragging him in.

Just before he lost consciousness, something clicked. That smell, those eyes, that jet black hair…

_Hakuren?_

_---  
_

Sasuke cursed, clutching the boy to him, hand brushing against something wet that he suspected to be blood. He had barely caught the blond, shocked as he was at the extra appendages and eyes bluer than the sky or any gem ever discovered. He stiffened as the boy nuzzled his neck, the kitsune's breath soft and somewhat shallow.

The brunet felt weird. His heart hurt, pounding faster and harder than ever before.

For the first time in his life, he felt…complete.

"Haku…ren…?"

Sasuke started, grasping the fox-boy firmly as he fell limp.

_Hakuren? Why does that sound familiar?_,he wondered, but before he could think any further, the faint rumbling and sound of squealing reached his ears.

_Oh shit!_, he cursed. Shifting the boy onto his back, the raven leaped into the air, jumping along the rooftops to avoid the rabid fangirls and others whose attention would cause problems as he headed home.

_**TBC**_

Lol, yea, fangirls can be insanely terrifying.^^ Anyways, once agin, warnings n info about my poll in profile. Such as "don't like yaoi, leave, don't blame me if you have a problem with reading" n "will be resetting poll after each update". That's basically it, but I'd still rather ya read 4 urself.

Review plz! It inspires me to write faster.


	6. Meet the Uchihas

_**Flight to Freedom**_

**Yuu: Woohoohoo! Summer Break! Cehl-ebration time, c'mon~! Mwahahahaha!**

**Hichi: …-_-' Kid, yer seriously scarin me now.**

**Izu: Dun worry bout it, she's jest happy that school's out.**

**Torii: But that doesn't mean that she'll write more now, the lazyass.**

**Hien: (nods in agreement) Uh-huh.**

**Aku: (snorts in his sleep in unconscious agreement)**

**Yuu: (evil cackling continues) Mwahahahahaha!**

**Yan: (joins in) Nyahahahahaha!**

**Everyone else: (spluttering) *hack, coughcough***

**Toya: (freezes the other 7) Finally, a break from the idiots.**

**Kohri: My imouto does NOT own Naruto.**

_**Ch. 5 Meet the Uchihas**_

…_Nn…ow…ow…OWWWW!_

Naruto groaned, waves of pain washing over him as his side throbbed and white light seared his eyelids. He waited a while for his body to adjust, pain subsiding a bit, before he slowly cracked his eyes open.

His eyes watered a bit from the light as he took in the room. It was simply decorated: white walls, desk with drawers and cabinets, three doors, a medium-sized bed, a looking mirror, a large window with dark drapes.

Naruto tilted his head slightly, looking out the window to see a tree, leaves swaying with the wind.

_Where the heck am I? what happened?_ Flashes of dark eyes and pale skin came to him. _Oh yeah…that guy…did he bring me here?…He was kinda hot…_

He paused, rewinding the phrase in his head.

_Did I seriously just think that? Am I gay?...Oh great, I'm gay…_

He sighed and closed his eyes. He didn't really mind the fact that he liked a guy. He didn't see a problem with it, still doesn't. But then again, he was still pure and innocent in regards to that kind of stuff…

Yup, he's an idiot alright. Sixteen and he didn't even know what masturbation was. Pathetic.

Naruto's throat throbbed, his vocal cords sore from the screaming they had done previously.

_Oh right…It's been, what, ten years since I last spoke? Sigh, I better relearn how to talk then. Damn the human language for being so complicated!_ (A/N: Hey, you all know it's true.)

Just then there was a click as the door swung open. The blond opened his eyes and turned his head to stare as his black haired…savior? kidnapper?...whatever walked in holding a tray of food. He wore black sweatpants and a black high-collared t-shirt, bandages wrapped around his forearms and his calves over the sweats.

"Hn, it's about time you woke up, You've been asleep for two days now," he said. He put the tray on the table next to the bed, then he pulled up a chair to sit on, leaning back with his hands stuffed in his pockets. "Name's Uchiha Sasuke. You?"

(A/N: Srry bout Sasuke's OOCness, I know he's not s'posed to talk so much. This is wat he'll be like in private. But he'll be back to normal…sometimes. Eventually. Maybe. Whatever.)

_Man, he's hotter than I remember. Ack! Nononono, bad thoughts, bad! Shoo!_ Sasuke crooked a brow. _Kyaaaa, kakkoii! Argh, dammit!_

"What, cat got your tongue?"

_Huh? What cat?_ "Kyu?"

Sasuke blinked and smirked. _Cute._

"Hn, you really are a dobe, aren't you? I knew you were foxy, but I didn't think you talked like one, too."

"Hssss!" _Don't call me that, teme! I'm not a dobe!! Man, I was right. You have _got_ to be Hakuren's descendant. Cuz just like that black-haired bastard, _this_ one is probably the only other person who'd call me that!_

Sasuke chuckled. _This is gonna be fun._

Just then there was a huge _BANG_ as the door slammed open.

"Sa-su-ke-chaaaaaaan! I hope you're not molesting cute little Kitsune-chan!"

Sasuke immediately spun out of his chair and slammed his fist into the intruder's jaw. Naruto blinked, glancing at the fan-shaped symbol on Sasuke's back before flicking his gaze back to the commotion.

"Ow! Mou, Sacchan, you're so mean! Ita-kun, don't just stand there, tell him!"

"Obito, you should know by now not to aggravate my otouto like that. The way you act, it's like you're really twelve, not thirty."

"Hn. Aniki, why'd you let him in?"

"Wah, both of you are so mean! Itachi, why can't you take my side for once?"

"Because you aggravate me, too. Plus, it's more entertaining this way."

There in the doorway were two men older than Sasuke, and his relatives by their appearances. On the floor rubbing his cheek sat a man who looked to be about twenty-five. Under his spiky black hair around his forehead was a headband with a metal plate that had the same symbol as the guards at the gate had worn. He wore black sweatpants and a tank top. Behind him leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed, was what appeared to be an older version of Sasuke. He had long black hair tied in a ponytail and what looked to be scars on his face. He wore similar clothing to Sasuke, but unlike the other two, his eyes were more of a dark reddish-brown. He looked around twenty-two.

Naruto sniffed, catching the two men's scents. He wanted to be able to track them down if needed. But…

_Those men…something's weird about them – oh SHIT__!_

* * *

Meanwhile…

"Sacchan, why'd you hit meee? You should've known we were coming up, we didn't even try to conceal ourselves!" the man on the floor, Obito, whined.

"I'll give you three reasons. One, you didn't knock. Two, you added 'chan' to my name. Three, you just annoyed the living shit out of me. Also, call me Sacchan one more time, and you'll have another bruise to nurse."

"But Sacchaaaaaan," Obito whined, only to yelp as he was whacked in the head. "Ow!"

"You really are the dobe of your class. I don't see how you're an Uchiha. Sasuke, think we could find out if he was adopted or something?" 'Ita-kun' quipped.

"No need, Aniki. It's most likely that he was anyway," Sasuke responded instantly. It was obvious that the two have had years of practice tormenting the man. Just as Obito was about to retort, a low growl interrupted them.

Sasuke cried out softly as he was yanked back by the arm, causing him to sprawl onto the bed behind him. Sitting up, he saw the fox crouched in front of him on his left, his arm placed on the other side of his legs. The blond growled at Obito, fangs bared and ears flattened, tail bristling out behind him. His red, cat-like eyes glared into Obito's, a strange glint in his eyes. The three tensed, the two men readying themselves for an attack as Sasuke tried to move. The blond growled over his shoulder at him, clearly warning him to be still.

"Oi, what did you do? He seems to not like you," Itachi asked Obito.

"Heck if I know, you think I'd even be near him if I did?" Obito shot back.

"Would you two shut up?! In case you didn't notice, we have a possible assailant here!" Sasuke shouted, but it was too late. The fox launched himself at Obito, clawed hand drawn back in preparation. Although the Uchihas were fast, the boy was undeniably faster. Landing on the man, Naruto pushed Obito down, causing him to cry out as he hit his head.

Obito struggled to get free, but he was held down firmly as Naruto pulled his hand further back, tensing to attack. The other two leaped, trying to get the fox away before he made his move, but Naruto glared at them, a wave of pure chakra blasting them against the walls. As they fell to the floor, a thought seared through their minds, burning through them with immense killing intent.

_**"Don't get in my way!"**_

And the claws flashed, digging right into Obito's left eye…the eye that had miraculously replaced the one he had given to his friend after the incident.

Obito screamed, the sound sending chills down the other two's spines. It was wrought with pain, as if his heart was being torn out of him slowly. The two wished they could relieve him of that pain, but they were unable to move due to the red chakra that lingered to hold them there.

Blood flowed down the poor man's face, more gushing out as he screamed once more when the claws moved, digging deeper, seeming to search for something. The fingers tightened, and Naruto yanked his bloody fingers out, holding a tiny camera between his claws. Amazingly, the eye he had been rummaging through wasn't bleeding, and it was still intact, as if nothing had happened, although there was still blood flowing down the raven's face.

Obito went limp, exhausted from the painful ordeal he went through. Released from the chakra's hold, Sasuke and Itachi rushed forward, the younger pulling the blond off as the older checked the man on the floor. Sasuke noticed a calm blue chakra covering the boy's hand, different from the corrosive red chakra that had held him down.

Whimpering, Naruto held out the camera to him, his other hand holding his side, trying to stop his freshly opened wound from bleeding. Sasuke pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket, gingerly taking the device from the sharp claws. Once he did, the blond crawled back to the bed, climbing up before slumping onto it, darkness dragging his consciousness away from him once again.

Obito laughed shakily, grinning despite what had happened.

"Always thought something was up with my eye. Never thought I'd have to go through this because of it, though," he said, before he too lost consciousness. Itachi sighed, astonished once again by the man's personality, as he carefully hoisted the man onto his shoulder. Sasuke held out the handkerchief to his brother, who took it and put it into his pocket.

"I'll take care of Obito, then I'll head to the Hokage to give her the camera to study and a report. You stay here and look after the boy," Itachi said.

Sasuke grunted, watching his brother walk out, before he turned to go through another door. Running water was heard, then squeaking as it was shut off. The brunet came back out with a wet towel and a first aid kit. He cleaned the blood off the blond's hand and his side, bandaging the wound once more when he was done. Leaving the kit on the table, he grabbed the forgotten tray and left the room, closing the door softly before he walked down the hall to the kitchen. Unknowingly, he was having the same thoughts as his brother.

_What is he?_

**TBC**

**Yuu: Nooooooooooo!**

**Izu: What, what happened?!**

**Hien: Oh, she just found out that Mom stuck her into Chinese school for 5 weeks.**

**Izu: Damn, that sucks. First we had to deal w/ the happily insane version of her, now we'll have to deal w/ the madly depressed one.**

**Hien: Sigh, yeah.**

**Noooooooooooooo! Sob, sob. Why?! A whole month, gone! Sniff. Review plz. It might just perk me up enough for another chapter sooner. Ja.**

* * *


	7. Bathtime

_**Flight to Freedom**_

Ok, guys, if u don't read NS, then I've got sum news 4 u.

I'll _**TRY**_** to get as many updates as possible each week. At the least, one. At most, one per fanfic. NO guarantees. **

The reason why i hav'nt updated in a few weeks is cuz of the buncha projects from school n me gettin scared inta updatin NS. Srry bout that.

Nyways, njoy!

**Disclaimer:** Do u see Naru w/ actual fox ears n tail in the manga/anime? No, so I don't own Naruto.

_**Ch. 5-Bathtime**_

Birds chirped loudly as sunlight streamed into the room through the window. A bundle on the bed shifted, blond hair peeking out as Naruto awoke. The boy mewled, rolling over onto all fours to stretch, arching his back very much like an animal as his ears twitched and his tail swayed. He sat up, causing the blankets to fall around his waist. He rubbed his eye with his fist, yawning cutely.

A hazy vision swam in his mind, remnants of the dream which had haunted his night.

_A dark place with only a slight glow of foggy blue from its depths. A boy of eight years stood there, shaggy red hair framing a tired face as pale blue eyes stared out in despair. _

_The boy faded away, and in his place stood a tall, lean teenager who looked to be an older version of the boy, about eighteen. The previously tired face, which had been thin before, had slight angles and a kind feel to it, though it was emotionless. The teen's hair was darker in color, lighter than blood, and his eyes were no longer a pale blue. They had turned into blank, lifeless orbs filled with the darkness of the deepest parts of the oceans._

There it had ended. No matter how hard he tried, though, he couldn't get a grip of the image. It slipped away from him, close enough to touch, but too far to grasp. And the presence of that stranger felt so familiar...

He blinked the sleep from his eyes when an all too familiar scent reached his nose. Andreline pumping in his veins, his head snapped to the side at an inhuman speed just as the door opened. The blond's eyes widened at what he saw.

There in the doorway stood bloody Sasuke, sweat mingling with the red substance staining his shirt. Cuts littered his arms, a few on his face and neck. He was holding a few rolls of bandages, clothes, and towels. Mild surprise filled his eyes, not having expected to see Naruto awake.

"So you're awake..." The raven walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge. The fox stared at him blankly until the sight registered in his mind, and panic filled his eyes. Sasuke continued, not noticing the look he was recieving.

"It's good timing, you need a ba – hey!"

Sasuke once again found himself on his back, staring up at the blond straddling him as he whined, fussing over the bloody brunet. Naruto whimpered, running his hands gently over Sasuke's torso, touching the cuts on his arms, neck, and face.

The Uchiha blinked, realizing something. His face flushed into a slight red, the raven struggling to keep it down. He pushed up with his forearms, trying to get up. Keyword being 'try'.

Sasuke let out a huff as he was pushed back down by the shoulders, the tanned hands keeping the pressure. Naruto wasn't planning to let him up anytime soon.

"Oi! Get off of me, usura – wagh!?"

Sasuke gaped in shock at the mop of blond hair next to his face, fox ears laid back. He shuddered as something wet and warm ran over the shallow cut on the side of his neck, a kunai having had skimmed past there.

_Is he...Is he __**licking me?!**_

Indeed, Naruto was lapping at his wounds, anxiety running through his veins.

"Kyuuuu~" he whined. _Who the hell did this? I'll kill them! Hurting__** my**__ Sasuke!_

Yup, Naruto had already become fond of the teen, despite the short span of time he had known him. And with the fondness came protectiveness and possessiveness.

The blond's hands skimmed down his chest, sliding under the black muscle shirt, and ran back up, bring the shirt along with them.

Sasuke protested, trying to remove the pair of hands and pull the shirt back down. The owner of said hands wouldn't have that. Grabbing Sasuke's hands, Naruto put them the brunet's sides, palms down. He placed his knees on them, using just enough of his weight to pin them down, moving his hands next to Sasuke's shoulders to support the rest. The brunet squirmed, unable to escape, much to his dismay. Although, if he put his mind to it he could. He just didn't want to hurt the boy.

Satisfied that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, Naruto bent his head down and, grasping the hem by his teeth, pulled the shirt all the way up. Seeing more cuts and a few bruises, he whined again. Sasuke tensed as Naruto dipped his head, running his tongue over the pale chest, lapping up the blood from hard abs. Then...

_**WHAM!**_

"Hey, Sacchan! I brought...some..." Blink. "...Am I interrupting something?"

There stood Obito, eyes wide as realization hit and gaping at the scene before him. In his hands was a tray with two bowls of ramen, threatening to fall from the loose grip. Very slowly, he bent down and set the tray next to the doorway before he snapped back up and ran out of the room, slamming the door shut.

"SORRY FOR THE INTRUSION!!!"

The two on the bed stared at the spot where Obito had previously stood. They jumped as screaming was heard somewhere in the house.

"ITACHI! Our little Sacchan's finally growing up! He's gonna do _it_~!!"

Sasuke's eye started to twitch, temper rising as he tried to quell his anger and embarrassment. Naruto cocked his head to the side in confusion.

_What's 'it'?_ he wondered. A fox-ear twitched as footsteps came to the door. Three soft knocks broke Sasuke from his thoughts before Itachi's voice came from behind the closed door.

"Otouto...use protection and plenty of lubrication, understand?"

At those words, Naruto found himself staring at a katana, half its blade pierced through the door, the tip grazing a past Itachi's cheek. A cut appeared, blood slowly dripping down. The older man smirked and walked away in amusement. (A/N: the katana is the same one Sasu uses in Naruto Shippuuden)

Looking away from the still-quivering sword, Naruto looked past the outstretched hand next to his cheek at a harshly breathing Sasuke, eyes hidden in the shadows of his bangs as a vein could clearly be seen twitching erratically.

Slowly, scared of the murderous aura the brunet was giving off, Naruto got off of him and kneeled next to him cautiously. Patiently waiting for him to calm down, the blond licked the back of his hand like a cat and swiped at an ear, trying to clean it somewhat.

His attention caught by the motion, Sasuke turned his eyes on the fox, blushing a bit before averting his gaze.

"Dobe, cover up, would you?"

This caused the boy to pause in his 'cleaning' and look down at himself. And lo, he _finally_ realized that he had been completely naked during the whole ordeal save for the bandages on his torso, forearms, and legs.

_"Ne, Naru? Don't ever let anyone see you naked when you grow up, 'kay? It's indecent. The only one who can ever see you like that is your 'mate', understand?"_

_"Haiii~ I understand, Ko-nii."_

_A hand pat the blond head, ruffling the ears and hair a bit. "Good."_

Naruto squeaked in mortification and dove under the covers, giving Sasuke a brief glimpse of his behind. Coughing in embarrassment, he looked into the blue eyes that could be seen within the dark folds of the blankets.

"C'mon, dobe, you need a bath. We could hardly move you when you were unconscious." He gestured at himself, nose wrinkled in distaste at the blood. "And so do I, obviously."

Naruto looked at him, confused. _A bath? But I was in the middle of giving you and myself one, and yet you protested._

Bemused, he crawled out from under the blankets slightly until only his torso was uncovered and grabbed Sasuke's arm. Tugging it towards himself, he gave it long swipes with his tongue, licking off the blood from the scratches. Sasuke blushed before it clicked, and he realized what the blond was doing.

"Dobe, not that kind of bath. I meant with water, dumbass."

Naruto froze, then shot back under the blankets. The last time he had taken _that _kind of bath was when he was little. And even back then he had to be forced and held down as he struggled the entire time. It's not that he hated water. In fact, he loved playing in it and with it. But baths made his tail _wet_ and _heavy_ and _limp_ and...well, he just didn't like it!

The boy stared out from under the blankets defiantly and Sasuke sighed. Reaching under the covers, he quickly grabbed the blond and dragged him out, walking towards the bathroom without looking back. Naruto mewled, digging his heels into the floor as he tugged at his arm. Grunting in irritation, the brunet merely yanked the boy forward and scooped him up into his arms.

Naruto yelped and threw his arms around Sasuke's neck, not wanting to fall or be dropped.

Trying not to look down, Sasuke kicked open the door to the bathroom. It was rather large, sinks off to the side and a shower stall big enough for two people next to a large bathtub big enough for four. An open door in the wall opposite the sinks showed a toilet.

The brunet walked to the bathtub, setting Naruto down but keeping a firm arm around his waist as he turned on the water. The poor blond squirmed, twisting and turning to no avail. He wasn't going to be able to escape his fate. But, nevertheless, he squirmed, trying to flee as hands took off his bandages.

Once the bath was nearly full, the raven shut the tap. He tested the water and, satisfied that it was not too hot nor too cold, picked up the wriggling boy and set him in the tub. Fox ears drooped as Naruto accepted that he was going to be bathed.

Sasuke stripped off his bloody and torn clothes, dropped them on the floor, and grabbed a basin. He filled it with water from the tub and upturned it over his head. He did this twice more to rinse himself of the blood, the reddish water going down the drain, before he set it aside and grabbed a washcloth and a bar of soap. The raven climbed into the tub and settled himself behind the blond, his legs bent on either side of the boy as the water lapped at their chests.

Naruto, oblivious the whole while, was jerked from his miserable thoughts as something soft touched his back. He looked over his shoulder and found Sasuke gently rubbing a soapy cloth against his skin. About to protest, Naruto opened his mouth only to purr as his face contorted into pure bliss. It felt so _good_.

(A/N: Naru still hasn't seen the Curse Mark on Sasu's neck yet. We'll get to that in the next chapter.)

Sasuke smirked at the happy purrs and continued rubbing in small circles, moving from the shoulders down to the base of his spine. As the towel got closer to the base of his tail, the purrs became louder and the brunet's smirk widened. He had found a weak spot.

Grabbing a bottle, he squirted shampoo onto his hand and rubbed it into Naruto's scalp, hands already wet from being underwater. The blond cooed as the gentle fingers rubbed his fox ears, eyes closed in happiness. Sasuke blinked in slight surprise when he saw a pair of human ears under the hair which had previously hidden them from view.

"Keep your eyes shut," he said softly. Naruto complied and Sasuke grabbed the basin from beside the tub, filling it with water before upturning it over the boy to rinse away the suds. He washed his hair once more before he went back to bathing the blond. Once he was done with that he turned his attention to washing himself.

Naruto sighed in contentment and leaned back against Sasuke's chest, the latter twitching slightly before he decided to pay no mind to the action. He relaxed there and tilted his head back against the crook of the raven's neck.

Maybe baths weren't so bad after all.

**TBC**

O wow, that took me 4ever to write. I changed my mind, I'll update **monthly**, k? Srry. Nyways, review plz!


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